Dunwoody City Councilmembers Jim Riticher and Pam Tallmadge were re-elected Nov. 7 and Tom Lambert coasted to an easy victory for the open seat left open when Councilmember Doug Thompson announced he was retiring this year.
Unofficial results from DeKalb County show District 1/Post 1 Councilmember Tallmadge won 971 votes, or 63.84 percent, to challenger Joe Hirsch’s 544 votes, or 35.7 percent of the vote.
Tallmadge will be serving her first four-year term. She won a special election two years ago to fill Mayor Denis Shortal’s seat after he stepped down to run for mayor.
District 2/Post 2 Councilmember Riticher was re-elected to his second term with 1119 votes, or 64.83 percent, to challenger Bobby Zuckman’s 584 votes, or 33.84 percent.
Lambert was the big winner of the night, garnering 1,266 votes, or 83.34 percent, to Henry Bierenfeld’s 230, or 15.14 percent.
“I’m just very excited for the opportunity and am looking forward to getting to work,” Lambert said at his Election Night party at O’Brian’s Tavern on Mount Vernon Road.
He said he a top priority it get the parks master plan implemented as soon as possible. “The money is there and the plan is done … it’s time to get that going,” he said. “I’m hoping to see things move at an accelerated pace.”
Tallmadge and Riticher held a joint Election Night Party at Marlow’s Tavern in Dunwoody.
“I’m glad the people of Dunwoody trusted to put me in office for another four years,” Riticher said. He said he plans to stick to advocating for paving, police and parks.
“It’s all about a balance of the three Ps,” he said.
Tallmadge said she spent her first two years on the council learning the ins and outs of serving on a City Council and is excited to have four more years to work with the city staff, the rest of the council and her constituents.
“I’m not the newbie anymore,” she said, smiling. “I’m excited to move forward.”
Her challenger, Joe Hirsch, said he congratulated Tallmadge on her victory and will continue to remain active in city government.
“I wish her and the residents of District 1 all the best,” he said in a statement. “I am so very grateful for all those who supported me and I will continue to work on seeking improvements for everyone in Dunwoody.”
Tallmadge said she has many ideas she hopes to see implemented during the next four years, but she especially wants to focus on transportation and planning for 30 years into the future “and not just paving.”
“We need to seriously work on bike paths,” she said.
She said she even wants to look at streetcar options to connect East Dunwoody to Dunwoody Village, for example.
“We need to think outside of the box,” she said.
Other priorities for Tallmadge include finding funding to possibly bring EMS (emergency medical services) in-house rather than paying DeKalb County to provide the services.
“There’s a lot of ideas churning in my head that have been simmering for the past two years,” she said.
Sorry to read of your loss Joe Hirsch; however, be heartened that you emerged from the process with your dignity intact. You’re a good honest man, Joe – stayed involved.